France Offers SAMP/T NG Air Defense System to Bangladesh

France has reportedly offered its SAMP/T NG long-range air defense system to Bangladesh, weeks after it revealed intent to procure Eurofighter jets.

French Ambassador to Bangladesh Jean-March Séré-Charlet visited Bangladesh Air Force Headquarters on Dec. 15 and met Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, the Chief of Air Staff. “Pleased to meet Bangladesh Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan. We discussed strategic issues, opportunities to strengthen cooperation and build closer ties between our two air forces,” the ambassador was quoted as saying by bdmilitary.com after the meeting.

The report further claimed that France proposed the Aster SAMP/T NG surface-to-air missile system during the talks. The system is intended to provide long-range air and missile defense and forms part of ground-based air defense networks operated by several European states.

The proposal follows Bangladesh’s recent signing of a letter of intent with Italy’s Leonardo related to the Eurofighter Typhoon multirole combat aircraft. The document was signed in Dhaka, but neither side disclosed aircraft numbers or financial terms.

The Eurofighter Typhoon is developed by a consortium from Italy, the U.K., Germany, and Spain.

Although no official figures have been released, external estimates suggest a possible deal valued at more than $2 billion for 12 aircraft, a large outlay for a lower-income South Asian country.

Bangladesh has not published official data on the size of its air force. Defence analysts estimate it operates about 200 aircraft, including nearly 50 fighter jets.